Today marks the 110th Anniversary of International Women's Day, and we here at Air Cargo News FlyingTypers recognize and appreciate the achievements of women, in both air cargo and the world at large.
     International Women's Day began nationally in the United States in February 1909, following a march of 15,000 women in New York City for better pay, voting rights and shorter working hours. The day was adopted internationally when Clara Zetkin, leader of the "Women's Office" for the Social Democratic Party in Germany, proposed that there should be a Women's Day every year, in every nation—a day in which women's rights and demands could be unified and put forth on an international level. In March 1911, a million participants in Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, and Germany marched in honor of IWD. The day was marked as a day to recognize and promote equal rights and women's suffrage. International Women's Day has only grown larger since then, spreading as an official holiday in many countries including Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China, Laos, Madagascar, Moldova, Nepal, Uganda, Ukraine, Vietnam, and Zambia. While other countries may not have adopted the day as an official holiday, it is nonetheless recognized as a special day across the world.
     Over the past few years, IWD has been 'themed.' The 2021 theme is “Choose to Challenge.”
     We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality; we can choose to celebrate women’s achievements. From the challenge comes change, so choose to challenge.
     While I wish I could say that everything has changed in the hundred and ten years since the day was incepted, in many cases, we see that it has not.
     It’s ironic, then, that still in 2021 we’ve found so many women in positions of power who wish to recede into the background when it comes to their gender. Acknowledge me for my work, they say, and not for my gender.
     President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act in 1963. Yet, more than 58 years later, women are still paid only 78-82 cents for every dollar paid to a man. In Europe, the wage gap stands at 17.5 percent, meaning women essentially work 64 days of the year for free. Women only hold 4.8 percent of Fortune 500 and Fortune 1,000 leadership positions. Gender equality still has a woefully long journey to go.
     In our opinion, if we really want to bring change, we need to celebrate, as loudly as possible, when a woman holds a position of power. It is not an issue of being defined by our gender, but rather the importance of recognizing that there is gender inequality. It follows, then, that when a woman holds a position of power, she is essentially working double duty against the current system—her figurative muscles are larger than her male counterparts, because the tide of inequality against which she must swim in order to even exist in her position is that much stronger. If there are, say, 40 rungs on a man’s corporate ladder, then there are 50 or more rungs on a woman’s corporate ladder. We must climb higher, and longer, to get to the same place—why wouldn’t we shine a light on our gender, when we are working so much harder because of it?
     Might be worthwhile to include this thought from the distinguished gentleman and good Carl Schurz, an emancipation advocate and a friend of Abraham Lincoln, said:

“From the equality of rights springs identity of our highest interests; you cannot subvert your neighbor's rights without striking a dangerous blow at your own.”

     Ultimately society collectively has to challenge itself to change: Change the way we raise our children, and the scripts we write regarding gender roles and sexuality. These stories we tell ourselves have a direct effect on how we view one another as men and women.
     At Air Cargo News FlyingTypers, we are proud to be a company that is 2/3 women.
     We are also very proud of our ongoing editorial series, “Air Cargo Women In Charge” launched in 1975. We have created several hundred articles.
     As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2021, not only is March 8 and the entire month of March intended for the celebration of women, but we choose that an appreciation of women should be a daily undertaking.